How to Use Social Media to Find a Job

Here are the best ways to use LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Google+ to learn about job openings — and let prospective employers know you're available

by Gwen Moran • Next Avenue

Photograph: Jerry Bunkers via Flickr

Finding a job these days often requires pulling out all the stops. That means updating the resumé, phoning former colleagues, and--gulp--diving into social media sites like LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

If the social media part is a little foreign to you, join the crowd. Just 51 percent of Americans age 50 to 64 are posting, tweeting or friending, according to the Pew Research Center.

But social media is essential for job hunters. Fifty-five percent of companies plan to increase their investment in recruiting via social networks, but only 16 percent plan to spend more on online job boards, according to job search platform Jobvite. For advice on the most effective ways to use social networks to land a new position, Next Avenue blogger Gwen Moran interviewed Brad and Debra Schepp, authors of How to Find a Job on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Google+ (McGraw-Hill).

Q. What is the first thing job seekers need to do on their social networks?A. LinkedIn is the most professionally focused social network, so setting up a full profile there is essential. It’s critical to include work experience that is relevant to the job you’re seeking, but not anything more than 20 years old. Your LinkedIn profile should include your education, awards and recommendations from people who have done business with you. LinkedIn has a guide to completing your profile, which says that profiles done thoroughly are 40 times more likely to get job offers than ones that are not.